d capeless, too, was
not the most becoming headgear a woman could wear. With the basket of
custards, and cup of jelly she made herself, Katy finally started forth,
Aunt Betsy saying to her, as in the door she stopped to take up her
dress: "It must he dretful lonesome for Morris to-day. S'posin' you stay
to supper with him, and when it's growin' dark I'll come over for you.
You'll find the custards fust-rate."

Katy did not think it very probable that she should stay to tea with
Morris, but she made no reply, and walked away, while Aunt Betsy went
back to the coat she was patching for her brother, saying to herself:

"I'm bound to fetch that 'round. It's a shame for two young folks, just
fitted to each other, to live apart when they might be so happy, with
Hannah, and Lucy, and me, close by, to see to 'em, and allus make their
soap, and see to the butcherin', besides savin' peneryle and catnip for
the children, if there was any."

Aunt Betsy had turned matchmaker in her old age, and day and night she
planned how to bring about the match between Morris and Katy. That they
were made for each other she had no doubt. From something which Helen
inadvertantly let fall she had guessed that Morris wanted Katy prior to
her marriage with Wilford. She had suspected as much before, she was
sure of it now, and straightway put her wits at work "to make it go," as
she expressed it. But Katy was too shy to suit her, and since Morris'
convalescence had stayed too much from Linwood. To-day, however, Aunt
Betsy "felt it in her bones" that, if properly managed, something would
happen, and the custards were but the means to the desired end. With no
suspicion whatever of the good dame's intentions, Katy picked her way to
Linwood, and leaving her damp garments in the hall, lest Morris should
take cold, went at once into the library, where he was sitting near to a
large chair kept sacred for her, his face looking unusually cheerful,
and the room unusually pleasant, with the bright wood fire on the
hearth. She knew he was glad she had come, that he thought more of her
being there than of the custards she brought him.

"I have been so lonely, with no company but the rain," he said, pushing
the chair a little toward her, and bidding her sit near the fire, where
she could dry her feet.

Katy obeyed, and sat down so near to him that had he chose he might have
touched her head, which this day was minus cap, or even net, the golden
hair combed ba